An African Evening
by EleanorKate
Summary: Single chapter story. Practice may just make perfect, even though it might involve some sneaking around. COMPLETE


"Well?" Chummy asked seeing her husband wander back over the veranda into the house across the roughly paved yard. It was yet another warm evening and with her rather perfect view of the moon as it rose glowing above the ramshackle houses she had seen him wander across from the Mission hut and eased herself from the chair to greet him; wondering if his task was complete.

"All done _and_ in perfect working order!" Peter replied with a smile as he stepped over to her, sliding his palm over her hip. "I could ask if you want to come and see or even try it out…." he suggested with a raised eyebrow, almost daring her to respond. "If you are feeling that way inclined?"

Chummy pressed her lips together, clearly deep in thought. "Do you think one should venture?" she asked carefully, wondering if she should really take up his sudden suggestion even though the idea had at first been hers and she hadn't really expected them to do it so quickly. She watched carefully as Peter began fishing in his pocket, pulling out a set of tarnished brass keys and dangling them in front of her.

"I do have a certain something that may tempt you as you well know, and I do know you take little persuasion for anything these days…." he replied. He could be like the Devil in disguise sometimes and it set her heart racing.

"That's just brazen" she stated bluntly, taking a glance over his shoulder at the building opposite that had, only minutes before fallen into darkness as he switched off the meagre electricity supply. He'd not been in there too long; perhaps just enough to prepare and for her to have a brief nap after a busy day. Even at this late hour she was getting so very uncomfortable with baby now and he or she had started to feel as though there were six legs inside there, not two.

"But you want to…." Peter offered temptingly, noting her press her palm to her swollen stomach and the rest of his question dissolved at the sight. "Is he?" Peter asked, gesturing down to where she had placed her hand distracted from his plan for a moment.

"Dancing around like nobody's business….!" she smiled, as she pulled Peter's hand underneath hers; him feeling the ripple of movement under her skin. 'Not quite strong enough for proper kicks that you can feel' she had said last night, but he could certainly determine something was going on in there.

"So I seem to have an answer to my question from the Bean, but what about you?" Peter asked, stepping closer so they were almost belly to belly, both hands still resting on the scrap of life they had created. "Do I have an answer or not?"

Chummy looked over his shoulder again and across to the two other houses on the other side of the Mission yard. The lights were out bar one and she considered the matter apprehensively, only just this side of resistance to his plea.

"What if we get caught?" she asked, for some reason keeping her voice low. "It's almost ten and you know Elisabetta watches that building like a hawk. You know she checks the locks everywhere..." She had noticed long ago that it seemed almost obsessional and it had unnerved her; worries still in the back of her mind about how safe this place was after all.

"Camilla. I have keys and you have every right to go where you like around here" Peter replied, thinking for a second realising what he had said. "In fact, they are _your_ keys!"

Chummy touched her lips together again, seeing the light over to her right go out. "There's your answer" Peter pressed on as he had briefly looked in that direction too. "I know we'll be practically doing it in the dark but if she's gone off from her watching post and gone to bed..…"

"Are you sure everything's alright?" she pleaded, taking his hand from her stomach as baby seemed to have calmed; instead clasping it tight encased in hers.

"Perfectly" Peter replied. "I've seen to it myself". He saw his wife's lip twitch and took that as a 'yes' before she could protest or hesitate any further.

"Wait there" he said with a smile and ran into the house, pulling out what he was looking for and quickly returning to her putting the package into her waiting hand before taking up the other in his before she could change her mind. "You know that when you try…." he said taking a step closer to her, and brushing his lips over her neck, "it will be as perfect as everything else you do…."

Chummy swallowed and silently cursed him. "Hurry up then" she whispered, a shiver that was not necessarily cold running up and down her spine wondering whether she really wanted to do this there or drag him back inside the house. Currently laden with the most pleasant of hormones she was truly torn.

Carefully they ran instead, or ran as far as the increasing weight around her middle would let her, across the yard to the building from where Peter had been just a few minutes before putting carefully laid plans into motion before her almost derailment. He produced the keys again, quietly scraping the brass through the lock as she kept watch; still nervous of trouble. Eyes dancing across the yard she saw something brown and furry skitter across a foot away and whatever it was seemed more frightened of her than she of it as it shot underneath a tarpaulin that covered up a few mismatched wooden chairs they used to sit out on in the evening warmth. Behind her she heard the door open and felt Peter take up her hand again, pulling her inside so he could lock the door behind them. Despite the fact that he felt somewhat blase about it, getting caught might just need some explaining too at this time of night.

As she stood in the darkened corridor, she saw the keys go back into his pocket after he tested the handle to make sure they would have no interruptions.

"It'll be fine Camilla" he replied, voice back to its normal level knowing that the building was otherwise empty and confident they had not been seen. "Just remember what I told you and follow my lead".

She nodded and smiled and once again was pulled along the corridor in silence as they passed other locked rooms - kept for storage - into his chosen location. He always seemed to be the teacher these days and, whilst she knew she was not the most worldly wise of people when it came to it, she did realise that she had to strike out on her own sometimes knowing she had a safe place to fall. One thing she had vowed to herself, tied with her promises to him, was that she would take more chances rather than worry about consequences that may never happen and this was going to be one of those moments.

The room was at the back of the building and what little windows it had faced out onto vast scrubland and the rusty Mission van so there was no risk of eyes sneaking a look and disturbing them. Chummy noted that he had pulled over the thin worn cream coloured curtains anyway just to be entirely sure and was grateful that he had thought to cloak them away from the world.

"Well, what do you think?" Peter asked nodding over to the other side of the small room. This had taken preparation this had and he was really quite proud of himself.

"Perfect" she whispered, a touch out of breath from their run and feeling him take the package from her hand again. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him take a few steps away to flick on the weak bulb above their heads and it spluttered into life as they heard the limp buzz of electricity as it cast a vague yellowness around them.

"Ladies first then" he said, gesturing for her to step ahead closer to their final destination.

She smiled and reached back across to him, slipping her hand around his neck and leaning to kiss him. "Thank you for this. One knew I only needed to ask". Now she was here, all of those butterflies had fluttered off.

"Always a pleasure to teach my lady new tricks…." he replied with a wide smile. "Even if I'm being called upon in the middle of the night to satisfy your need". This might just be fun though he had thought long ago and it was transpiring that, even before they had started, it was. She let his comment go after all it was something that they were going to experience together and he had been the one persuading - or perhaps convincing - her after all.

"Stand there" Peter concluded, stopping her as she was about to take a step too close. He'd be more than satisfied just to stand back and watch her for a while as she turned to face away from him towards the other wall; gentle hands turning her around but for perhaps this time only, she had his full involvement and certain attention.

"So what do you want me to do?" she asked weakly, catching his eye as he took up her hand again.

Peter smiled, still holding onto her hand; well more her wrist now. "Be gentle but forceful..." he began, "and just for now try to aim at the bullseye...and watch out for the wires if you can. Sometimes the darts can bounce off...…"


End file.
